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Padres Press Clips Wednesday, May 18, 2016 Article Source Author Page Bumgarner, Giants strong-arm Padres UT San Diego Sanders 2 Healthy Myers least of Padres’ injury woes now UT San Diego Sanders 6 Petco Park field no worse for wear after concert UT San Diego Kenney 8 Pregame: Myers returns; Jay out with shoulder UT San Diego Sanders 10 Kemp’s homer lone damage vs. MadBum MLB.com Cassavell/Haft 11 Benches empty after MadBum fans Myers MLB.com Cassavell 14 Guerrero makes debut, keeps bullpen fresh MLB.com Cassavell 16 Morrow, Spangenberg suffer setbacks MLB.com Cassavell 18 Pomeranz aims to even up series with Giants MLB.com Haft 20 Forearm better, Myers returns to lineup MLB.com Cassavell 21 Padres homestand starts window to gain ground: Pads vs. Friar Wire Scanlan 23 Giants series preview Can Melvin Upton bounce back from his own rock bottom? FOX Sports Boyd 25 San Francisco shuts down Padres NBC San Diego Rosehart 30 Bumgarner’s complete game, Crawford’s 5 RBIs carry Giants Associated Press AP 31

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Bumgarner, Giants strong-arm Padres Giants ace strikes out 11 as Padres begin homestand with a loss By Jeff Sanders | 10:01 p.m. May 17, 2016 | Updated, 11:12 p.m.

First, Colin Rea bounced a curve in the dirt to Brandon Crawford. Then he missed

with two fastballs.

Rea’s fourth attempt to find the plate in a 30-pitch second inning Tuesday night found

too much of it.

Way too much.

The Giants’ shortstop deposited a high 91 mph fastball onto The Pier in right-center, a

three-run, 432-foot blast that was unforgivable given Rea’s adversary: An especially

sharp and confrontational Madison Bumgarner, who struck out 11, stared down Wil

Myers in a benches-clearing incident and completed a 5-1 win that buried the Padres

even deeper in the NL West.

Really, the Giants have a lot to do with the Padres – owners of baseball’s fifth-worst

in-division winning percentage (.368) – staring up at their four rivals.

They ran their top three starters to the mound during a three-game sweep last month

at AT&T Park and are again putting their best foot forward with Bumgarner, Johnny

Cueto and Jeff Samardzija starting the first of 12 straight games in the division. That

gamut will include Rea’s Sunday matchup with Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw.

“We know how good these guys are,” Padres manager Andy Green said before the

Padres dropped 5½ games behind the first-place Giants, winners of six in a row. “We

know what arms we’re facing. We faced them in San Francisco not too long ago. We

drew the heart of the rotation again and then (we get) the Dodgers right after them.

“It’s a good opportunity to make up some ground.”

So long as things go the Padres’ way.

Bumgarner made sure they didn’t Tuesday.

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Spotted a three-run lead on Crawford’s second-inning homer, he retired the first six

hitters he faced, struck out the side in the second inning, allowed just four runners in

scoring position all night and surrendered the lone run on Matt Kemp’s leadoff homer

in the ninth.

“I think he located really well,” Myers said. “He’s obviously a great pitcher. When a

guy like that is on, it’s going to be tough. I thought he threw his pitches well and

didn’t really leave a lot of pitches out of over the plate.”

Case in point: The pitch that Myers flailed at to strand Jose Pirela’s leadoff double in

the third was just off the plate, his momentum carrying him out of the box as he

appeared to say something to Bumgarner.

Staring right back at Myers as he walked off the mound, Bumgarner responded, Myers

stepped toward the pitcher and plate umpire Dale Scott positioned himself between

the two.

The benches emptied as did the bullpens for a lot pushing and shoving before order

was restored. Though both sides were warned, Myers deemed the whole brouhaha a

misunderstanding.

“I struck out on a 3-2 pitch and I was looking up to check the velo on the pitch,” Myers

said. “I saw Madison staring at me. I said to him – which he couldn’t understand –

‘C’mon, man, don’t stare me down.’ He didn’t really know what I said. He just thought

I was mouthing off. …

“It’s one of those things where we got caught up in the heat of the game. The emotions

are running high. People were competing out there. It wasn’t a big deal. It was a

misunderstanding on both ends.”

Myers was smiling later while talking at first base with Bumgarner, who singled and

walked in four plate appearances.

“It wasn’t anything serious,” Myers said while declining to reveal the specifics of their

conversation. “We weren’t yelling each other. We were just talking about the situation,

understanding what was going on on both sides. …

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This is nothing that’s going to linger on. It’s over now.”

Added Bumgarner: “I just wanted to be mad for a minute. … I’ll tell you what

happened. I was mad because we were trying to figure out where we were going to eat

after the game, and he wouldn’t make his mind up, and I was just tired of it. I needed

to know where he was going, and he wouldn’t tell me.”

The leadoff hitter in a heavy right-handed lineup that featured Rea in the eight-hole,

Myers presented the Padres with their best opportunity to string together a rally

against Bumgarner when he doubled into the left-center alley to put runners at second

and third with one out in the sixth.

But the Giants’ left-hander fanned Derek Norris, got an assist when Brandon Belt

ranged deep into foul territory to grab Kemp’s inning-ending pop-up and stranded

Brett Wallace’s leadoff double in the eighth as the Padres went 0-for-8 with runners

in scoring position.

Only Kemp’s ninth-inning homer allowed the Padres to avoid their 10th shutout of the

season and the second in as many years at the hands of the confrontational

Bumgarner.

“Well, he’s got an edge to him, you know?” Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. “He’s so

competitive. He plays with a lot of intensity, and that’s who he is. He’s a guy who lives

with every pitch and every moment of the game. He gets excited at times.”

Pitching at Petco Park for the first time since taking a no-hitter into the eighth inning

earlier this month, Rea walked the first hitter of the game, allowed the first three

batters to reach in the second – and score on Crawford’s home run – and left after five

innings with three runs allowed on four hits and two walks.

Since that career-best outing, Rea has allowed seven earned runs in 10 innings against

two division-leaders – the Cubs and the Giants.

Up next: A Sunday date with Kershaw and the Dodgers.

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“I just wasn’t very efficient,” Rea said of Tuesday’s outing. “That second inning was

kind of long and I was just falling behind in the count. After that I felt like I settled

down. The defense made some great plays, but I just wish I did a better job of

establishing the strike zone early in the game to keep us in the game a little more.”

Right-hander Carlos Villanueva allowed a run in two innings, as did right-hander

Tayron Guerrero in his major league debut.

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Healthy Myers least of Padres' injury woes now First baseman returns to lineup, but Jay out of lineup for fourth straight game

By Jeff Sanders | 6:34 p.m. May 17, 2016

Off for the first time in 17 days, Wil Myers had two objectives Monday: Rest the tight

forearm that forced him out of the lineup Sunday and catch a showing “Captain

America: Civil War.”

Not only did the Padres' first baseman accomplish both, he reported to the clubhouse

Monday with positive reviews on both fronts.

“That was the big thing I did yesterday,” Myers said. “It was really good.”

As far as his left forearm, that progressed enough to land him back in the lineup – as

the leadoff hitter, no less – as Padres manager Andy Green discussed the possibility of

yet another player landing on the disabled list. This time it’s center fielder Jon Jay

nursing a jarred shoulder that he sustained while diving for a ball in Milwaukee on

Friday.

Jay entered the next day as a pinch-runner but has given way to rookie Travis

Jankowski in center field each of the last three games.

“He hasn’t had full range of motion since then,” Green said. “He’s been a little stiff.

He had treatment again yesterday but he’s just not ready to play yet. … I’m very

hopeful that it’s not a DL stint. I think any time a player is not (available to start) for

four straight days it’s a possibility, but I’m hoping that it’s unlikely.”

Probably because the roster is already stressed as it is.

The Padres already have 10 players on the disabled list, two of whom remain without

a timeline for their return: Second baseman Cory Spangenberg (quad) has yet to

resume running after suffering a setback two weeks ago, while right-hander Tyson

Ross (shoulder) remains in the strength-building phase of his rehab after continued

discomfort backed him off the start of a throwing program late last month.

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An MRI ruling out the need for surgery, the return to full strength is a slow-but-

steady progression.

“You have to lay a good foundation first with limited ranges,” Ross said. “We were

making sure we were strong and stable in those ranges and then progressing along the

chain from there. I think things are going great.”

Also on the injury front, Robbie Erlin (elbow) underwent a successful Tommy John

surgery Tuesday morning, Alexi Amarista (hamstring) began a rehab assignment at

Double-A San Antonio and Yangervis Solarte (hamstring) could get into minor league

games soon after playing seven innings in an extended spring training game Monday.

Myers’ comeback trail, of course, is much shorter after pulling himself from Sunday’s

lineup with tightness he reiterated had nothing to do with the left wrist surgery that

sidelined him for muchof the 2015 season. Still, better safe than sorry, he said.

“That was tough,” Myers said Tuesday. “That was the first time I’d ever done that …

but I felt it was the best thing for team for me to do. It feels good today … and that’s

the important thing.”

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Petco Park field no worse for wear after concert Crew had field restored within 24 hours of Billy Joel leaving the stage By Kirk Kenney | 6:14 p.m. May 17, 2016

The field at Petco Park looked no worse for wear on Tuesday as the Padres opened a

six-game homestand three days after the Billy Joel concert, which featured an outfield

stage that stretched from left-center to right-center as thousands of fans seated on the

outfield grass.

"I don't think Billy Joel's as raucous as some of the people who have been out here

before," Padres manager Andy Green said from the dugout before the game. "I'll have

to get out here and take a look. I know the grounds crew was working immediately

after it was over and making sure the field was in good shape. My wife said it was a

heck of a concert, too. And that's all that really matters."

After a pair of in-season concerts last year by the Rolling Stones and Taylor Swift, it

appears ballpark crew and grounds keepers have dialed in the process of protecting

the field and converting it back to game-ready condition.

It was in marked contrast to the condition of the outfield last May after the Rolling

Stones played Petco. The Padres opened a series against the Pittsburgh Pirates four

days later and the usually impeccable playing surface still showed signs of the concert

played four days earlier. The area in the outfield where the stage had been was clearly

outlined, the brown grass, hard surface and divots were shocking to those accustomed

to seeing it a pristine green.

Then Padres center fielder Will Venable said “it’s terrible” after shagging fly balls and

fielding grounders during batting practice.

The crew learned from the experience, covering and protecting the field more

effectively. The infield was not an issue. It was fenced off during the concert, although

there were some speaker towers positioned at home plate and first base.

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"We did several things a little bit differently," said Mark Guglielmo, Padres vice

president of ballpark operations. "We had a slightly smaller stage and we moved the

stage forward so we could backload everything to minimize the damage."

The forklifts and other heavy equipment necessary to build and then break down the

stage were able to operate near the warning track area, saving wear and tear on the

grass. Other measures also were taken to allow the grass to breath while it was

covered.

Crews began folding up outfield chairs Saturday night within 15 minutes of the final

note. The stage was broken down shortly thereafter and it looked like a baseball field

again within 24 hours after Joel left the stage.

"We could have played yesterday if we had to," Guglielmo said.

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Pregame: Myers returns; Jay out with shoulder Early notes, tidbits and a look at today’s lineups By Jeff Sanders | 4:52 p.m. May 17, 2016

The Padres welcomed Wil Myers back to the lineup after a brief bout with left forearm

tightness. Jon Jay, however, remains unavailable after jarring his shoulder on Friday

night in Milwaukee.

Jay pinch-ran in Saturday night but did not start the final two games against the

Brewers and again gave way to Travis Jankowski in center field on Tuesday.

Padres manager Andy Green said he was hopeful that Jay would avoid a trip to the

disabled list, but said he’d steer away from using him as a pinch-runner in case the

possibility becomes a reality.

“We have to make sure he’s OK and ready to go,” Green said. “I’m very hopeful that

it’s not a DL stint. I think any time a player is not active for four straight days it’s a

possibility, but I’m hoping that it’s unlikely.”

Other notes

INF Alexi Amarista (hamstring) is starting at second base and leading off at

Double-A San Antonio to begin his rehab assignment. 3B Yangervis

Solarte (hamstring) played seven innings in an extended spring training game

Monday, but remains a bit behind Amarista’s schedule.

2B Cory Spangenberg (quad) said he suffered a setback while attempting to

run about two weeks ago for the first time. Spangenberg has not run since then

and is not doing any baseball activities.

RHP Tyson Ross (shoulder) remains in the strength-building phase of his

rehab. He remains without a timetable. “I’m worried about a healthy Tyson

Ross," Green said. "We’ll get him back when he’s healthy and when all the

medical staff feels good about his overall health.”

LHP Robbie Erlin (elbow) underwent a successful Tommy John surgery on

Tuesday morning.

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Kemp's homer lone damage vs. MadBum By AJ Cassavell and Chris Haft / MLB.com

SAN DIEGO -- The full Madison Bumgarner experience was on display Tuesday night at Petco

Park, as the fiery left-hander led the Giants to a 5-1 victory over the Padres.

Bumgarner was brilliant in tossing his 11th career regular-season complete game, allowing just

one run on five hits while striking out 11. He also sparked a relatively tame benches-clearing

kerfuffle after the third inning, when he stared down Wil Myers following a strikeout.

Bumgarner is 4-0 with a 1.53 ERA in his last five starts. In 35 1/3 innings during that span, he

has struck out 42 and walked 10.

"He's got to be where he wants to be right now, the way he has thrown the ball the last [five]

starts," Giants manager Bruce Bochy. Well, not really.

"I feel like there's about 10 different things that's different than the way I want it. Obviously, it's

working well the way it is," said Bumgarner, who has complained virtually all season about his

pitching mechanics. "... I'm about to give it up and stick with what I'm doing now. It seems to be

working better anyway. I mean, the body feels good and my command's good, so ultimately

that's all that matters. You can't be mad at the results, that's for sure, although they may not be

what you're looking for."

Brandon Crawford provided all the Giants' offense, launching a three-run dinger in the second

off Padres starter Colin Rea, before adding a sac fly in the sixth and an RBI double in the

eighth.

Rea struggled early, allowing a pair of hard hits before the Crawford homer. But he would retire

11 of the last 12 batters he faced, finishing with three earned runs over five innings.

Meanwhile, Matt Kemp got the Padres on the board in the bottom of the ninth, launching his

10th homer of the season into the third level of the Western Metal Supply Co. building. But

Bumgarner would retire the next three Padres in order to secure the victory.

MOMENTS THAT MATTERED

Crush it, Crawford: In one night, Crawford quintupled his RBI total from the previous week. He

was batting .192 (5-for-26) with one RBI in seven games entering Tuesday. It has been an

uneven season for Crawford. He has eight hits in his last 18 at-bats with runners in scoring

position and is 9-for-34 (.265) in those situations overall.

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This season, Crawford often has batted seventh, immediately ahead of the pitcher, who Bochy

typically elevates to the eighth spot so the Giants can have back-to-back leadoff hitters

with Angel Pagan batting ninth. All of this movement has influenced Crawford, who has taken it

upon himself to try to capitalize on every run-producing opportunity he receives.

"I know I'm batting in front of a good-hitting pitcher," Crawford said, referring to Bumgarner. "But

he's still a pitcher."

Mad Bumgarner: The Bumgarner/Myers altercation occurred following Myers' inning-ending

strikeout in the third. Bumgarner stared down Myers after the whiff, prompting Myers to bark

back. Both benches and bullpens cleared, though ultimately the incident remained relatively

tame, and no ejections were issued.

"We got caught up in the heat of the game, emotions were running high, people were competing

out there," Myers said. "It wasn't a big deal. I think it was just a misunderstanding on both

ends."

Don't forget defense: The Giants set the tone immediately in this phase of the game,

as Denard Span caught up with Myers' drive to deep center field for the game-opening out. In

the sixth inning, first baseman Brandon Belt made a slick over-the-shoulder grab of Kemp's

popup to end the sixth inning and strand runners on second and third -- the Padres' best chance

of the night.

Not Rea's day: In each of Rea's poor starts this season, the recurring theme has been

inefficiency. He needed 94 pitches to get through Tuesday's five-inning outing, marking the fifth

time this season he's needed at least 90 pitches or more to get through five innings or fewer.

Not coincidentally, Rea's three quality starts have been his three most efficient efforts.

"That second inning was kind of long, and [I was] just falling behind in the count," Rea said.

"After that, I feel like we settled down, and it went pretty smoothly after that. Defense made

some great plays. Just wish I would've done a better job of establishing the strike zone early in

the game to keep us in the game a little more."

QUOTABLE

"I think that's a narrative you guys care about more than we care about. Winning baseball

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games is all we care about. Whether it's 5-0 or 5-1, a loss is a loss to us." -- Padres manager

Andy Green, on Kemp's homer preventing a league-leading 10th shutout

SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS

Kemp's ninth-inning moonshot left the bat at 110 mph and had a launch angle of 38.29 degrees,

according to Statcast™. It's the second time this season Kemp has gone yard with a launch

angle above 37 degrees, making him the only player in baseball to have done so twice.

UPON FURTHER REVIEW

The Giants challenged an eighth-inning ruling on Crawford, who was called out at third base

after driving in Hunter Pence. After a brief review, the call stood.

WHAT'S NEXT

Giants: Having won 12 of their last 15 games against San Diego, the Giants will attempt to

continue their luck in Wednesday's 7:10 p.m. PT encounter. Belt, who equaled a personal best

on Tuesday by reaching base via a hit, walk or hit by pitch in his 24th consecutive game, will go

for his all-time high in this category.

Padres: Left-hander Drew Pomeranz has been the Padres' best pitcher through the first

quarter of the season, but his lone shaky start came last month in San Francisco, where he

allowed four runs in 4 1/3 innings. Pomeranz gets the ball against the Giants once again on

Wednesday with first pitch set for 7:10 p.m. PT.

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Benches empty after MadBum fans Myers By AJ Cassavell / MLB.com

SAN DIEGO -- Between Giants ace Madison Bumgarner and Padres slugger Wil Myers, there's more

than enough competitive Carolina fire to go around.

But ultimately, Tuesday's benches-clearing altercation -- which sparked when Bumgarner stared down

Myers following a third-inning strikeout -- proved tame. So tame, in fact, that the two perpetrators

laughed about it later, when they chanced upon each other at first base during the ninth inning of the

Giants' 5-1 victory at Petco Park.

During the skirmish, no serious contact was made between any players, and no ejections were issued.

Myers and Bumgarner -- who both hail from North Carolina -- chalked it up to the heat of the moment.

"I just wanted to be mad for a second," said Bumgarner.

The incident occurred when Myers swung and missed at a 3-2 fastball for what appeared to be a relatively

pedestrian inning-ending strikeout. Myers bowed his head before glancing up at the left-field scoreboard

to check the velocity on the pitch.

That's when he noticed Bumgarner's glare, at which point Myers barked back, prompting the benches and

the bullpens to clear.

"I said to him -- which he couldn't understand -- I said, 'Come on, man, don't stare me down,' and he didn't

really know what I said," Myers clarified afterward. "... We got caught up in the heat of the game,

emotions were running high, people were competing out there. It wasn't a big deal. I think it was just a

misunderstanding on both ends."

Order was restored shortly, and in the ninth inning, when Bumgarner reached first base, the two

chatted for a brief second and seemed to patch things up. Bumgarner even joked that they were

simply arguing about where to go to dinner.

Neither Myers nor Bumgarner would divulge what was said in that moment, but both seemed to

agree that the incident had been quashed.

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"This is nothing that's going to linger on," Myers said. "It was just one of those things that

everybody got caught up in the heat of the moment, and it's over now."

Bumgarner came to the plate in the fourth inning and was greeted with a chorus of boos -- which

turned to cheers when he went down swinging against Padres starter Colin Rea.

But ultimately it was Bumgarner who had the last laugh, as he polished off his 11th career

complete game, while tallying 11 strikeouts.

"He's got an edge to him," said Giants skipper Bruce Bochy. "He's a competitor. He plays with a

lot of intensity. He lives with every pitch and every moment of the game."

Padres skipper Andy Green didn't make too much out of the altercation afterward, saying

simply, "there's competitive people on both sides of the equation."

But Green was slightly at a loss for a reason as to why Bumgarner stared down Myers in the

first place, and said he wasn't necessarily disappointed with the way the situation escalated.

"Nothing came of it, but there's definitely a sentiment in our clubhouse that we're not going to be

bullied by somebody on the mound screaming at our players," said Green. "Our players feel

very strongly that they're going to stand up for one another, and I respect that."

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Guerrero makes debut, keeps bullpen fresh By AJ Cassavell / MLB.com

SAN DIEGO -- Sitting in the Petco Park bullpen for the first time in his career,Tayron Guerrero went

over the opposing lineup in his head, pondering which Giants hitter might represent his first Major

League matchup.

Hey rookie, how about Buster Posey?

The Padres called upon Guerrero, their No. 13 prospect, to make his debut in the eighth inning of a 5-1

defeat to the Giants on Tuesday night at Petco Park. Shortly thereafter, Posey would become his first

conquest, as Guerrero induced a fly out to right with his first pitch.

"I was really nervous warming up, and when I was facing Buster Posey, I was definitely nervous, too,"

Guerrero said through a translator. "But after I threw the first pitch, I calmed down."

That first pitch was a 96-mph fastball -- and there's more where that came from with the lanky 6-foot-8

Guerrero.

"I'm definitely a fastball-heavy pitcher," he said. "Tonight, I was just trying to give it my best. [Ninety-six

mph] is just what I hit. I think you can expect more."

On the night, Guerrero allowed one run on three hits in two innings, keeping the rest of the Padres'

bullpen fresh.

A native of Boca Chica, Colombia, Guerrero has been pitching in the Padres' organization since the 2010

Dominican Summer League. In 11 appearances for Triple-A El Paso this season, he posted a 3.60 ERA

with 11 strikeouts in 10 innings.

Guerrero got the callup Sunday with the club in need of bullpen reinforcements in Milwaukee, but

hedidn't pitch.

"A Major League debut is fun for anybody," said Padres manager Andy Green. "He got two innings in --

we needed somebody to take down two innings right there. That was big for us. I think you saw where he

can be effective. That fastball really plays."

There's life on the fastball; no one denies that. But the issue with Guerrero has long been his control. He's

averaged 6.1 walks per nine innings in the Minors.

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Guerrero's first big league walk was a four-pitch free pass to opposing pitcherMadison Bumgarner.

Ultimately, Green came away impressed with the Guerrero's outing -- with that one caveat.

"Attack Bumgarner a little bit more aggressively," Green said. "You've got 96, you've got life, trust it.

You don't need to pick around the corners."

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Morrow, Spangenberg suffer setbacks By AJ Cassavell / MLB.com

SAN DIEGO -- Padres second baseman Cory Spangenberg and right-hander Brandon Morrow are being

held out of baseball-related activities after suffering setbacks in their recoveries.

Morrow, who underwent shoulder surgery last August, was sent to extended spring camp in Arizona last

week with shoulder fatigue, and the Padres are unsure when he'll resume throwing. It appears likely that

Morrow's June 1 opt-out date will be pushed back.

Morrow had spent the past month pitching in the Minors, amassing a 7.31 ERA and a 1.543 WHIP

between three different levels. Assistant general manager Josh Stein said the club had noticed some issues

with Morrow's delivery that led to the fatigue. Once Morrow resumes throwing, he'll remain in extended

spring camp, where those issues can be addressed.

During the offseason, Morrow signed a Minor League deal with the Padres with the potential to opt out

before the regular season. But with his recovery not quite complete, Morrow's opt-out clause was

extended into the regular season -- and could be extended again.

Morrow was the Padres' best pitcher during the first month of 2015, posting a 2.73 ERA in five starts

before hitting the disabled list in early May.

"It's my understanding that he felt less than ideal in his shoulder, and so they kind of pulled him back, and

now he's trying to find out what's best for him going forward," manager Andy Green said.

As for Spangenberg, he reinjured his left quad while running and has returned to the strengthening portion

of his rehab -- essentially back to square one.

"I don't want to say he pulled it again, but it just didn't feel good," Green said. "Something happened

where they had to pull him back. There's kind of swelling in there."

Ross mum on return

Ailing right-hander Tyson Ross does not have a timeframe for his potential return from his right shoulder

injury. He has not yet resumed throwing.

Currently, Ross is rehabbing his shoulder extensively and has progressed past the initial hurdle of being

cleared for full strengthening work.

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"You've basically got to lay a good foundation first, and that's what we were doing," Ross said. "It's just

kind of limited ranges, and making sure everything is strong and stable. And then progressing on up the

chain from there. Things have been going great."

Amarista begins rehab stint, Solarte on the horizon

A pair of hamstrung Padres infielders could be nearing a return. Alexi Amarista made his first rehab

appearance Tuesday night for Double-A San Antonio since suffering a right-hamstring strain in April.

Yangervis Solarte could follow soon. He's participating in games in extended spring camp.

"Solarte's not too far behind," Green said. "He played seven innings yesterday, had two or three hits,

swung the bat well. He's feeling better and better. It'll be good to get those two guys back, Amarista

coming a little quicker than Solarte."

Erlin has successful Tommy John surgery

Left-hander Robbie Erlin underwent successful Tommy John surgery on his pitching elbow Tuesday

afternoon. Erlin, who partially tore his UCL in mid-April, is not expected back until midway through the

2017 season at the earliest.

The operation was performed by Dr. Neal ElAttrache in Los Angeles.

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Pomeranz aims to even up series with Giants By Chris Haft / MLB.com

With his last swing during batting practice Tuesday, Giants right-hander Johnny Cueto pounded a home

run into the left-field seats. That prompted a mock celebration from Cueto, who stood in front of the plate

and applauded himself.

The scene could be quite different during Wednesday's Giants-Padres rematch. San Diego's starter, Drew

Pomeranz, has allowed just one run and seven hits in 18 innings spanning his previous three starts. It's

worth pointing out, though, that Pomeranz's last subpar effort came against the Giants on April 25, when

he yielded four runs (three earned) and seven hits while walking three in 4 1/3 innings. San Francisco won

that game, 5-4.

The Giants, who are riding a six-game winning streak, will counter with the redoubtable Cueto, who

secured his 100th career victory with a 1-0, complete-game triumph over San Diego on April 26. He has

won five of his last six starts against the Padres.

Three things to know about this game

• San Francisco's Buster Posey is 5-for-8 with two homers against Pomeranz. Hunter Pence is 3-for-11

with all three hits being homers. No other Giant has taken Pomeranz deep.

• In 41 career games at Petco Park, Posey has hit 11 doubles, including his two-bagger in Tuesday's sixth

inning.

• San Diego's Matt Kemp leads all active Major Leaguers in hits, runs, doubles and RBIs against the

Giants.

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Forearm better, Myers returns to lineup By AJ Cassavell / MLB.com

SAN DIEGO -- Half of the Padres' usual 1-2 punch atop the order was back on the lineup card for

Tuesday's series opener against San Francisco.

Feeling no ill effects from left forearm tightness on Sunday, first baseman Wil Myersmade his return --

and the Padres' fanbase took a collective sigh of relief. But he batted leadoff -- as opposed to his typical

spot at No. 2 -- because center fielder Jon Jay remains sidelined with right-shoulder soreness.

Myers, who was scratched from Sunday's lineup minutes before the first pitch, feels as though the club's

decision to rest him paid off -- especially given Monday's off-day.

"When I'm in the lineup, I feel like the lineup can be better," Myers said. "But other than that, I think it

was good for me to just take those days off just to get healthy."

For the Padres, who have four infielders on the disabled list already, Myers' clean bill of health served as

some much-needed good news on the injury front.

Myers said he felt better on Monday anyway, but the extra day off -- during which he didn't have to test

his forearm (he went to the movies and watched "Captain America: Civil War" instead) -- certainly didn't

hurt.

"It was just tight, man," Myers said. "When I was finishing my swing, it was tough for me to hold onto

the bat with that tightness."

The tightness is gone, but the soreness in Jay's shoulder is not. Jay sustained the injury in Milwaukee

while diving for a fly ball. He hasn't played since Friday.

"I've dealt with it a bunch of times where it was sore and the next day it's fine," Jay said. "The next

morning, it was just different. That's when I knew there was something going on."

Manager Andy Green said a DL stint is possible for Jay, but he's "hopeful" that won't be the case.

Nonetheless, Jay will likely be absent for the next couple days.

In Jay's stead, Travis Jankowski will continue to play center field, which he views as a chance to make a

name for himself.

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Against a tough lefty in Madison Bumgarner, Green elected to bat the left-handed-hitting Jankowski

ninth, putting starter Colin Rea in the No. 8 spot. It's the first time Green has chosen not to bat his pitcher

ninth.

For Jankowski, the batting order position doesn't matter much. He still views his role as a leadoff man --

especially given the fact that Myers, typically the No. 2 hitter, is positioned directly behind him in the

order.

"You want to turn that lineup around; you're the second leadoff hitter," Jankowski said. "It's the same

approach as a leadoff guy, you're trying to get to the top of the lineup and get the guys who are 2-3-4 in

the lineup some at-bats and some RBI opportunities."

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Padres Homestand Starts Window To Gain Ground: Pads vs Giants Series Preview By Bob Scanlan The Padres return from a winning road trip and find themselves with an opportunity to become truly relevant in the N.L. West division race. Up to now, the Friars have simply been battling to stay out of the cellar position which they are currently in. Tonight starts a run of 12 games against the three division foes who at the start of the season many expected to be the leaders – the Dodgers, Giants, and Diamondbacks.

Despite being in last place, the Pads are only 4.5 games behind tonight’s opponent, the first-place Giants, and have several things going in their favor.

So let’s take a look at the series and what some of the difference makers over the next three games may be.

WHO’S HOT: Giants – Their ball club, especially the pitching. The Giants have won their last 5 games and have done it

primarily with shutting their opponent’s offense down. Over their modest winning streak, they’ve allowed a total of 11 runs for an ERA of 2.02. Their starters have been particularly effective during the stretch with 5 consecutive starts of 6 innings or more allowing 2 ER or less, for a collective ERA of 1.06. On the offensive side, their hottest stick belongs to leadoff manDenard Span, who’s hitting .375 the last week and reaching base 46.4% of the time. Other than Span it’s slim pickins, with not another starter hitting over .250 over the last 7 days.

Padres – The Friars are playing some of their most consistent team baseball in years, having won or tied each of their last 5 series. You have to go back to May of 2014 to find the last time they did that. It’s been a true team effort as well, with contributions from individual players, and different parts of the club each night. That being said, the pitching has been the most consistent element recently, with the staff as a whole posting a 2.66 ERA over their last 17 games, ranking tops in all of MLB. At the plate as mentioned previously, there have been a lot of key hits by a spread of Pads batters, but Melvin Upton Jr. has been tearing it up, hitting .348 for the month with 3 HRs, with all of those long balls coming in the past week, along with 5 RBIs while batting .435 and reaching base at a .480 clip. WHO’S NOT:

Giants – Despite leading the club in bating average and on base percentage for the season, Brandon Belt has been in a little bit of a cooler of late, going 4 for his last 21 over the past 7 games (.167). Buster Posey has also been on a cold streak, going 5 for his last 37 (.135) but 4 of those 5 hits have come in the last 3 games so the Friars will hope that he is not coming out of it.

Padres – Brett Wallace had two hits in Sunday’s game and hopefully that starts the thaw for him as he had 2 hits in his previous 26 at bats (.077). Matt Kemp has also been in an extended funk, hitting .200 in May and .133 over the last 3 series – even with the 3 hits he had Saturday. Finally, Jose Pirela has been getting an opportunity to play every day but has not been making the most of it so far, hitting .156 on the year and .148 (4 for 27) since getting everyday time at 2B over the last 8 games. X-FACTORS:

Rotation matchup – Yes, the Friars are lucky this series as they send out their 3 hottest arms right now in Colin Rea (3.38 ERA last 4 games),Drew Pomeranz (1 ER in his last 3 outings) , and James Shields (7IP 0ER last start). However, the three Giants starters they drew could make for some quiet offensive numbers withMadison Bumgarner, Johnny Cueto, and Jeff Samardzijagoing to the bump for S.F. Between them, they’ve had one losing outing in their last 12 starts combined.

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Homefield mojo – The Friars have played well at Petco when playing the Giants and have won 18 of their last 29 matchups, including 9 of their last 13. On top of that, Kemp has always had successagainst the rival from up north with a lifetime .285 batting average, 19 HRs, and 78 RBIs. And, as mentioned above, could use a jump start from a team he’s traditionally done well against. In addition, Bumgarner has a lifetime 4.10 ERA at Petco, so who knows, maybe the Friars can get some runs off him early to give Rea some breathing room.

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Can Melvin Upton bounce back from his own rock bottom? Once a rising star for the Tampa Bay Rays, Melvin Upton Jr.'s career has gone in the wrong direction. Is the key to a change all in his head? By Flinder BoydMay 18, 2016 at 10:00a ET

When the 2013 season opened, Melvin Upton Jr. -- or B.J. as he was known then -- had just signed the richest free-agent contract in Braves history, just over $15 million a year, and was featured on the cover of Sports Illustratedalongside his kid brother Justin, who had been traded from Arizona to Atlanta in the same offseason. In the photo, the brothers are sitting next to the (unrelated) supermodel Kate Upton, all wearing Braves uniforms. The caption read: Can the Uptons power Atlanta?

After the fifth game of the year, fans seemed to have their resounding answer: YES! In the bottom of the ninth inning, down a run to the Cubs, Melvin led off with a blast over the left-centerfield wall, and two batters later, Justin ended the game with his own home run. At home plate Melvin, elated, joined his teammates and surrounded Justin.

Their father was behind the dugout, his cheering drowned out by the home crowd, "It was crazy, everyone chanting 'UP-TON, UP-TON,'" Manny "Bossman" Upton says. "That was definitely the high point."

Now, if you would, hit the pause button on that moment, then loop those 3 minutes -- the delirious fans, the Braves announcer Chip Caray yelling, "Let's go home!", Melvin and Justin hugging -- over and over.

Melvin, the eldest, had seemed to reach his once nearly impossible expectations. Just before his 18th birthday, he was drafted second out of Greenbriar Christian Academy in Chesapeake, Virginia, and some predicted he'd be the next great five-tool player. "Scouts compare Upton to a young Derek Jeter, right down to his swagger," Jim Callis and Allen Simpson wrote in Baseball America.

Six years later, in 2008, he had one of the great postseasons of all time, tying for the fifth most runs scored of any player (16) and the fourth most playoff home runs ever (7) in a single campaign.

Now, before we stop the loop of the home-run celebration, and press play on Melvin's story, remember that he was only 28 years old then, in his prime, and despite batting just .246 the year before in Tampa Bay, he also hit 28 home runs and stole 31 bases while displaying Gold-Glove caliber defense. Some warned of an impending demise â his strikeouts were high, and fans questioned his hustle â but for the moment, as he was cheering on his brother, he was on top of the world.

So now, instead of hitting play, tap the fast forward button. Zip past the Atlanta Journal-Constitution calling him "one of baseball's worst hitters," skip past his manager Fredi Gonzalez threatening to send him to the minors in 2013, and definitely skip past the humiliating season-ending .184 average and postseason benching that same year. Wait for it ... and now hit play.

Melvin is sitting on a steel bench, in a Peoria, Az., complex outside of Phoenix in March. His lanky body, leaned back, his arms folded in front of him. He's wary of journalists, and peppers cliches in with every

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answer, barely speaking above a whisper. He can be engaging, but more than anything, he's in essence a sports psychologist's dream -- a study into understanding the psyche of an athlete. How can someone with so much early success unravel so completely? And then, after everything, come through to the other side.

"It's difficult to explain," he says.

Manny Upton was a football and baseball star at Norfolk State and taught Melvin from an early age how to hit and play quarterback. Melvin -- who was nickmaned "Bossman Jr." or B.J., after his father -- idolized Charlie Ward, and dreamed of also playing two sports at Florida State. In the backyard growing up, he and the more outgoing Justin, who was three years younger, would play Wiffle ball for hours. Melvin looked out for his kid brother but never took it easy on him. If he was batting against Justin, he'd stay at the improvised plate until Justin could get him out -- sometimes until it was dark. Then they'd move inside and play Nerf baseball while their parents tried to sleep.

In high school, Melvin was part of one of the greatest AAU baseball teams in Virginia history. He played middle infield alongside David Wright, currently of the Mets. Ryan Zimmerman of the Nationals was in the outfield, and Mark Reynolds of the Rockies played third. Before school, Wright would pick up Melvin and they'd head to the local batting cages and work on their swing.

"He was a ridiculous athlete," Wright said of Melvin. "Everything was so natural. For the rest of us, it looks like we're straining. For him it's effortless."

Before Melvin's junior year, their team played in a tournament in Las Vegas and dominated nationally recognized competition. "We didn't know it, but we were already playing against the best in the country in our own backyard," Wright said.

Melvin was drafted by the Rays, moved through the farm system fast, posting a .302/.394/.445 split at Low-A, and was ranked the second-best prospect in baseball behind Joe Mauer. In 2006 he yo-yoed between Triple-A and Tampa Bay, but at spring training the following year, coaches didn't see the improvement they wanted. He admits now, his confidence in his hitting was lagging behind his other skills.

"Don Zimmer (the Devil Rays' senior advisor) sat me down (and said), 'This is yours, but you have to go get it,'" Upton said. "It was more about belief. I think sometimes you have to trick yourself into it. Transform yourself."

Under manager Joe Maddon's tutelage, Melvin indeed transformed into the player scouts had drooled over. "Joe allows players to express themselves and be who they are," pitcher James Shields -- a teammate of Upton's in Tampa and San Diego -- says. "He grew up with Joe." Together they took the Rays to their first and still only World Series in 2008, where Melvin put himself on the map by first dominating White Sox pitching in the ALDS, then the Red Sox in the ALCS, at one point knocking in a run in five straight games.

Maddon, who never played in the majors, learned the craft of managing from observation. He learned that a player's confidence is like a delicate thread. If it's pulled with too much tension, it snaps. Maddon never understood why, he told the Chicago Reader in 2015, "when things weren't going well (for a player), people would pile on or become punitive because guys are really trying and working hard."

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Players, Maddon deduced, crave encouragement, and none of his players perhaps more than Melvin. After his 2008 postseason performance Melvin had become the face of the new generation of baseball superstars. But inexplicably, and almost immediately, he battled confidence issues, and struggled at the plate in 2009. His average dipped 32 points. His brother Justin meanwhile was steadily making a name for himself with the Arizona Diamondbacks. Without, perhaps, the raw athletic gifts of Melvin, his approach was more direct. "Justin is detail-oriented," their father Manny says. "He'll ask, 'What do you think about my hands?' (Melvin), though, feels like if I didn't get it this time, I'm going to get it next time. For him it's always about the challenge."

Baseball analysts, who track advanced statistics recognized obvious deficiencies in Melvin's game early in his career. His contact rate was obscenely low, and his batting average on balls in play (BABIP) was unusually high -- in other words, stat nerds surmised he was getting lucky. However, these various stats are really a way for people who don't play the game to attempt to understand and decipher what they see. Melvin thought he could instinctively feel what he was supposed to do, and eventually overcome any perceived problems. Maddon would tell his players, "The mind once stretched has difficulty going back to its original form." In essence, think in a tunnel, without losing your sense of self-expression. Because once you truly lose your confidence, it might never return.

By the time Upton was on the cover of Sports Illustrated, Braves fans were hoping -- expecting -- that he'd do exactly what the picture with Kate Upton professed: his incredible skills would match her incredible beauty. He knew, of course, that while she could get by on looks alone, he could no longer skate by on his glittering potential. In the inflated market, Melvin was likely overpaid before the season started, but his .141 average by mid-May was abysmal. In an organization like the Braves, with 14 consecutive postseason appearances in the '90s and early 2000s, they needed results immediately.

Hitting coach Greg Walker took Melvin into the cages and began to tinker with his swing. Hitting a pitched baseball is one of the most subtle yet complex of art forms in sports. The entire process happens in about half a second, and for someone like Melvin, with a high strikeout rate, each adjustment meant he'd have to fundamentally reconfigure his entire approach. In the book "Psychology of Baseball," Mike Stadler explains the fallout of these constant small changes, "Think of tying your shoes or buttoning a button and imagine you were asked to change one small part of that action. To comply, you would have to slow everything down." Melvin had gotten into bad habits his last couple years in Tampa Bay and was "loading," Walker said, or rocking backward then coming forward as the pitch was made.

"To swing the bat and get his heel on the ground, he has to slide. By then he's late, and a lot of times he doesn't ever get there," Walker said in 2013.

Others around the Braves chimed in with advice. Sportswriters dedicated columns to Melvin's swing, and every fan became a hitting expert. Melvin would listen, but it only seemed to confuse him more. "I was getting it from here and there," Melvin says. "And I was thinking instead of playing."

His strikeouts piled up and he was moved further down in the order -- the pressure mounted. By June, his manager, publicly debated sending him down to the minors, and his old high school friends David Wright and Ryan Zimmerman texted him, telling him to hang in there. "We all look out for each other," Wright says. "We're like a fraternity."

At home games Braves fans began to lose patience. How could a player making $15 million forget how to hit a baseball? A portion of the crowd at Atlanta's Turner Field would boo each of his strikeouts.

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"The worst is when they scream, 'You suck!' at him," Manny says. "His wife would bring his kids to the game. That's a hard thing to hear."

He was determined to figure out his struggles, but a player that had built his career on intuition could no longer feel the right thing to do. His failures now began to affect his younger brother. Justin, who started out leading the league in homers after a handful of games, saw his average dip below .250 in June.

"I think for him to sit there and watch everything I was dealing with, he had to deal with it, too," Melvin says. "I know if I don't come out of this, then (my family is) going to have to deal with it."

Perhaps he needed Maddon's understanding arm around him. Maddon was the only manager he'd ever had in the majors, and Melvin likely didn't realize his importance. In order to wall off negativity and remain positive, Melvin tried what sports psychologists label "mental conditioning" to convince himself he was in fact playingwell.

Wrapped in a mental bubble of false positivity, Melvin sought to correct his hitting deficiencies with hours in the video room, then in the cages. He tried glasses, a heavier bat, then a lighter one, but his mind had supplanted his body. He was outthinking his overthinking. The care-free attitude of his youth was replaced with a hardened professional.

In 2006, Andy Roddick -- the former US Open tennis champ -- explained this loss of innocence that some athletes deal with when their confidence evaporates. Going through a difficult slump, and surrounded by reporters, Roddick was asked why if he's working harder the results weren't different.

"I used to hit for half an hour then go eat Cheetos the rest of the day," Roddick said of his early success. "Now I'm really trying to make it happen, being professional. And I miss my Cheetos."

Once the thread of confidence snaps for an athlete, the psychological scars form. Melvin could hear Maddon in his ear: The mind once stretched has difficulty going back to its original form. His average plateaued well below .200, and his manager had no choice but to bench him. The team then went on to win 14 straight games in late July and August. Upton returned to the lineup for the last six of those wins and actually had one of his best stretches of the season, going 10-for-25.

But by October, he was just a bit player in Atlanta's first-round loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the playoffs, tallying just three at-bats â all strikeouts â in the series. Hoping to turn his career around, he instead struck out a career-high 173 times the following year. He changed to his birth name, Melvin, after the season, though he denied it had anything to do with his mounting struggles.

With three years left on his inflated contract, only theSan Diego Padres were willing to trade for him, in essence a contract dump so they could acquire the much sought-after closer Craig Kimbrel.

Every athlete's deepest fear is failing miserably in front of millions, then being discarded. It's the sports equivalent of being on stage, the curtains are drawn and you're in the buff. Immediately when Melvin was dealt to the Padres, he was placed on the disabled list. "I knew a lot of people were down on me," Melvin says. "I had hit rock bottom."

Melvin had no one to blame but himself. Padres teammates and coaches saw a timid player, albeit one whose broken ego now allowed him to fully embrace the process of change.

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"The biggest thing he did is own the problem," Padres first-base coach Tarrik Brock says. "He's a guy that has to figure it out himself, once he gets it, then you can help him."

He took a step back from the pressures in Atlanta and hit a mild .259 in 2015. "Once I got past the failing part I was good," he says. "You can't hit rock bottom again." At 32, he had made more than $56 million in his career, but fair to say from the second pick in the draft, and the darling of the Rays in the late 2000s, his career has been fraught with disappointment.

At spring training with the Padres in Peoria, he stopped by a restaurant and across the room spotted Joe Maddon. Over the last couple of years they have exchanged a few cordial texts but little more. Maddon came over to his table and they talked for a few minutes. "He told me, 'I can hear it in your voice, you're in a different spot, that's what I want to see,'" Melvin says. "That was cool that he said that. I talked to him as much as I could, he's such a positive guy, you don't want to let him down."

Perhaps it was the meeting, or the inevitable increase in maturity, but Melvin started out solid, moving up to fourth in the Padres' lineup. On April 16, the Padres were playing at home against the Diamondbacks. In the bottom of the 14th inning with two outs, Melvin smashed a Rubby De La Rosa pitch over the center-field wall for the game-winning home run -- San Diego's first win of the season at Petco Park. After he dashed around the bases, his teammates encircled him at home plate, jumping up and down in unison.

Suddenly, he broke away and in a brief show of raw emotion, spun around in a circle punching through the air with his fist, yelling into the night sky. Nearly 14 years removed from draft night, and three years removed from his abysmal first year in Atlanta, maybe the psychological scars had healed.

If this was our movie, we'd hit pause again, run it on a loop and Melvin would have erased his demons. But again, confidence is a thread, and realization of its fragility is baseball's toughest lesson.

When we hit play, his average had dipped, to around .250 by mid-May, and his strikeouts were up. He had seemed to plateau as a solid player on an unspectacular team. But a recent stretch of eight hits in four games before running into Giants ace Madison Bumgarner on Tuesday has him hitting .273 as of this writing, second on the team. He leads the club in OPS. He'll never be the perennial All-Star player many once predicted, but he’s accepted his place in baseball and has, perhaps, found a level of comfort in himself.

"I stopped trying to live up to other peoples' expectations," he says. "I'm just thankful for another opportunity."

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San Francisco Shuts Down Padres Kemp’s Homer Helps Padres Avoid Shutout

By Ben Rosehart The short-handed Padres struggled to stay with San Francisco Tuesday as they opened up a 6-game homestand. Two Giants in particular thwarted the Padres efforts and helped the visitors pick up a 5-1 victory at Petco Park. Brandon Crawford collected 5 RBI on a 3-run homer, a sacrifice fly and a double. Other than Crawford’s 3-run bomb in the 2nd inning, Padres starter Colin Rea held the Giants to just 3 other hits in 5 innings. Tempers flared at the end of the 3rd inning when Giants starter Madison Bumgarner struck out Wil Myers. Words were exchanged and Bumgarner appeared to be offended with Myers as he started to walk off the mound. Both dugouts cleared and the pitchers even came racing in from the bullpens, but no punches were thrown and no suspensions are expected. Bumgarner wound up going the distance, finishing with a complete game and 11 strikeouts. He only allowed 5 hits. One of those was by Matt Kemp. The rightfielder smashed his 10th homer of the season to help the Padres avoid the shutout. It looked like the Padres were headed to their 10th shutout of the year when Kemp drove an 0-2 offering from Bumgarner off the West Metal Supply Company building. But that was the extent of the Padres offense on this night. Padres reliever Tayron Guerrero also made his Major League debut in the 8th and gave up one run in 2 innings of work. San Diego continues its string of 12 straight games against division opponents when Drew Pomeranz opposes San Francisco’s Johnny Cueto at 7:10 p.m.

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Bumgarner's complete game, Crawford's 5 RBIs carry Giants 10:09 AM ET Associated Press SAN DIEGO -- A glare from Madison Bumgarner and a few words from Wil Myers was all it took to cause the benches to empty at the end of the third inning of the San Francisco Giants' game at San Diego on Tuesday night. There was some shoving but no punches, and order was restored. Turns out it was just a minor sideshow during a dominant night by Bumgarner.

Bumgarner threw a five-hitter and struck out 11 for his first complete game this season and Brandon Crawford homered and drove in all five runs to lead the NL West-leading Giants to a 5-1 victory against the Padres. The benches cleared after Bumgarner struck out Myers to end the third. Bumgarner stared at Myers as he walked off the field, and Myers said something. Plate umpire Dale Scott and Padres slugger Matt Kemp kept Bumgarner and Myers separated. "I just wanted to be mad for a minute," said Bumgarner, who then cracked: "I'll tell you what happened. I was mad because we were trying to figure out where we were going to eat after the game, and he wouldn't make his mind up, and I was just tired of it. I needed to know where he was going, and he wouldn't tell me."

Myers said he was looking at the scoreboard to check the velocity on the pitch "and I saw Madison staring at me and I said to him, which he couldn't understand was, `Come on man, don't stare me down.' He didn't really know what I said and thought I was mouthing off a little.

"I did hear him say he didn't like that I stepped out a lot on him. But it was one of those things that we got caught up in the heat of the game and emotions were running high and people were competing out there. It wasn't a big deal. It was just a misunderstanding on both sides."

Bumgarner and Myers, the Padres' first baseman, appeared to laugh off their differences when the pitcher walked leading off the ninth.

"I mean, I'm indifferent to the whole thing," Bumgarner said.

"I'd rather not get into that," Myers said. "That was a personal thing. It wasn't a big deal. We were just talking about the situation on both sides. This is nothing that is going to linger on."

Crawford had already gone into the dugout.

"I didn't see what happened. It was just big, bad Madison Bumgarner," Crawford said. "He's always kind of fired up and going after everybody 100 percent."

Bumgarner (5-2) came within three outs of a shutout before allowing Matt Kemp's homer off the third deck of the Western Metal Supply Co. building in the left field corner, his 10th.

The Giants won their season-high sixth straight game. The Giants have beaten the Padres 12 times in their past 15 games and all four this season.

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Bumgarner was strong from the start in pitching his 12th career complete game. He retired the first six batters before Jose Pirela doubled to left and was stranded. Bumgarner, who walked none, is 4-0 in his last six starts against the Padres.

Crawford hit a three-run homer to right-center off Colin Rea in the second, his fifth. He added a sacrifice fly in the sixth and hit an RBI double in the eighth and was thrown out trying to stretch it into a triple to end the inning. Belt doubled and Hunter Pence singled ahead of Crawford's homer. Pence scored on Crawford's double. Rea (3-2) allowed three runs and four hits in five innings, struck out three and walked two.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Giants: RHP George Kontos was reinstated from the 15-day disabled list after returning from his rehab assignment. ... Manager Bruce Bochy said RHP Sergio Romo, on the DL with a strained right flexor, threw 23 pitches in one inning in extended spring training Tuesday and is scheduled to throw again Friday. Padres: LHP Robbie Erlin had reconstructive elbow surgery Tuesday. He was shut down after three games, including two starts. ... Manager Andy Green said CF Jon Jay (shoulder) is a DL candidate. He was hurt making a diving catch in Milwaukee on Friday night. ... 2B Cory Spangenberg (quad) suffered a setback and has been shut down from running and baseball activities. UP NEXT

Giants: RHP Johnny Cueto (5-1, 2.97) is scheduled to start the middle game of the three-game series Wednesday night. Padres: LHP Drew Pomeranz (4-3, 1.80), who hasn't allowed a run in his last two starts, is scheduled to start Wednesday night.